INTERVENTION BY THE PERMANENT OBSERVER
OF THE HOLY SEE AT THE UNITED NATIONS
FOR THE SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE LATE POPE JOHN PAUL II

STATEMENT BY H.E.
MONS. CELESTINO MIGLIORE

New York, 6 April 2005

Mr. President,

Thank you for opening this morning’s session with a special
tribute to the late Pope John Paul II. My delegation deeply appreciates your
gesture and conveys to you the Holy See’s acknowledgement and appreciation for
the kind expression of your sympathy.

I would also like to express my thanks and appreciation to the
Chairs of the regional groups and to the Permanent Representatives for the
statements which cordially echo and skillfully portray the many feats of a
mighty man of peace. At the four points of the compass, he transmitted fresh
courage and hope to those who are oppressed, the poorest and the weakest
throughout the world, with a passion for freedom and solidarity, confronting the
drawbacks in different political, economic and social systems. In this, he was
guided by a respect for the dignity of the human being, made in the image of
God. He strongly believed that it is only by keeping the transcendent in view,
that we can remain truly conscious of our place in creation.

During his first visit to UN Headquarters in New York in 1979,
John Paul II said that the Holy See attached not only great importance to its
collaboration with the United Nations but that, after the birth of the
Organisation, it had always expressed its esteem and approval for the historic
importance of this "ultimate forum" of international life and contemporary
humanity. In particular, John Paul II said that he hoped that the UN, due to its
universal character, would not cease to be an effective place from where to
evaluate, in truth and justice, all the problems facing humanity. While visiting
the UN in 1995, he suggested that the UN could become a kind of "moral centre
where all the nations of the world feel at home and develop a shared awareness
of being, as it were, a 'family of nations.'"

At a time when efforts were made to stand at a certain distance
from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to set aside some of the
contents of this milestone along humanity’s difficult road, John Paul II,
throughout the 26 years of his pontificate, was one of its most ardent
defenders.

As with his predecessors, John Paul II often expressed the hope
that the UN and its agencies might become better adapted to their mission. There
are many reforms that he felt would be desirable so as to make the bodies
associated with the UN more efficient, so that they might serve better the
societies, economies and cultures of the world.

He felt that, as globalisation grows, there should be a
corresponding growth in sound and effective international organs capable of
guiding the world’s economy for the common good. While states standing alone are
unlikely to achieve such a goal, international organs, backed by real political
will, could effectively cooperate with states to do so.

Furthermore, the pope dearly wished to see the UN develop
effective procedures other than war to resolve international conflicts. With
regard to those that have troubled recent history, John Paul II always advocated
the application of international law, placing the rule of law over the rule of
force. If the will to work for the common good in this way truly existed, the
weakness of some international institutions would rapidly be transformed, to the
greater peace and security of all, with the added bonus of great amounts of
resources being thus available for development, the acknowledged adjunct to a
wise security policy.

Mr President, let me finish by repeating my gratitude for your
kind expressions of condolence and for those of the distinguished delegations
who have been good enough to do likewise. Thank you.